Speaking about the day

Speaking about the day

Day
Jou
zhoo

Today 

Jòdi-a

zhau-dee ah

All day.  

Tout lajouné.

toot lah-zhoo-nay

Every day.
Chak jou / Toulé jou.
shak zhou / too-lay zhou

Broad daylight.  

Gwan lajouné. 

gwah lah-zhoo-nay

During the day.

Pandan jouné-a. 

pahn-dahn zhoo-nay-a

How is you day going? 

Kouman jouné ou yé? 

coo-mah zhoo-nay oo yay

How was your day? 

Kouman jouné ou té yé? 

coo-mah zhoo-nay oo tay yay

I had a bad day.

Mwen pasé yon mové jou / jouné.

mweh pah-say yoh moh-vay zhoo / zhoo-nay

I had a good day.
Mwen pasé yon bon jou.
mwen pasé yoh bon zhoo

What day is today?
Ki jou jòdi-a yé?
kee zhoo zhau-dee ah yay

Today is Thursday.
Jòdi-a sé Jédi.
zhau ah say  zhay-dee

This present day.
Jouné jòdi-a / jòdijou.
zhoo-nay zhau-dee ah / zhau-dee-zhoo

Word of the day - Mo pou jòdi-a

Word of the day - Mo pou Jòdi-a

Lakansyèl: /lah-kahn-syehl/

Meaning: Rainbow.

Chivé fanm-lan ni tout koulè lakansyèl-la.

(shee-vay fahm-lahn nee toot koo-leh lah-kahn-syehl lah)

The woman's hair has all the colours of the rainbow.

Word of the day - Mo pou jòdi-a

Word of the day - Mo pou jòdi-a

Pawadi : /pah-wah-dee/

Meaning: Heaven or paradise

Nou ké wè jézi nan pawadi.

[noo kay weh zhay-zee nahn pah-wah-dee]

We will see Jesus in heaven.

Word of the day - Mo pou jòdi-a

Anj: /ahnj/

Variant: zanj or nanj

Meaning: Angel.

Anj-la ké pwotéjé nou, pa pè.

[ahnj lah kay pwoh-tay-zhay noo pah peh]

The angel will protect us, don't be afraid.

Word of the day - Mo pou jòdi-a

Word of the day - Mo pou jòdi-a

Kann: /kahn/

Meaning: Sugar Cane 

nonm-lan ka koupé kann.

(nohm-lahn kah koo-pay kahn)

The man is cutting sugar cane.

word of the day - Mo pou jòdi-a

Word of the day - Mo pou jòdi-a

Lougawou: /loo-gah-woo/

Lougawou-a té sòté anlè nou antwèt

(loo-gah-wooo tay sau-tay ahn-leh noo ahn-tweht)

The werewolf attacked us without warning.

Word of the day - Mo pou jòdi-a

Word of the day - Mo pou jòdi-a

Lou: /loo/

Meaning:Wolf.

Nou té wè yon lou ka hélé nan simityè-a.

(noo tay weh yohn loo kah hay-lay nahn see-meet-yeh ah)

We saw a wolf howling in the cemetery.

 

Word of the day - Mo pou jòdi-a

Word of the day - Mo pou jòdi-a

Jako: /zha-koh/

Meaning:Parrot.

Jako-a tèlman dosil, ou pé touché'y.

zha-koh ah tell-mahn doh-seel oo pay too-shay ee

The parrot is so tame, you can touch it.

Word of the day - Mo pou jòdi-a

Word of the day - Mo pou jòdi-a

Balyé: /bahl-yay/

Meaning:Broom.

Éti ou mété balyé-a?

(ay-tee oo may-tay bal-yay ah)

Where did you put the broom?

Di'y an Kwéyòl - Say it in Kwéyòl

Say it in Kwéyòl

Di'y an Kwéyòl

 

Wi.

[wee]

Yes.

Non.

[nohn]

No.

Pitèt.

[pee-teht]

Perhaps.

Souplé / Tanpwi.

[soo-play tahn-pwee]

Please.

Éskizé mwen.

[ays-kee-zay mweh]

Excuse me.

Padonen mwen.

[pah-doh-nehn mweh]

Forgive me / Pardon me.

Sé pa ayen.

[say pah ah-yehn]

You're welcome.

Ès ou ka palé Annglé?

[ehs oo kah pah-lay ann-glay]

Do you speak English?

Ès ou ka palé Kwéyòl / Patois?

[ehs oo kah pah-lay kway-yuhl / paht-wah]

Do you speak Kwéyòl / Patwa?

Mwen anni ka palé Annglé.

[mweh ann-ee kah pah-lay ann-glay]

I only speak English.

Mwen sòti Twinidad.

[mweh suh-twee twee-nee-dad]

I am from Trinidad.

Mwen sòti an Kawayib-la

[mweh suh-tee ahn kah-wah-yeeb lah]

I'm from the Caribbean.

Mwen sòti  Kannada

[mweh suh-tee kahn-nah-dah]

I am from Canada.

Li sòti Anméwik.

[lee suh-tee anh-may-week]

He /she is from America.

Adwès-mwen sé...

[ah-dwehs mweh say]

My address is...

Souplé palé dousman.

[soop-lay pah-lay doos-mahn]

Please speak slowly.

Mwen pa ka konpwann.

[mweh pah kah kohm-pwahnn]

I do not understand.

Wépété sa souplé.

[way-pay-tay sah soop-lay]

Repeat that please.

Ankò.

[ahn-kuh]

Again.

Pa ankò.

[pah ahn-kuh]

Not again.

Ékwi'y souplé.

[ay-kwe ee soop-lay]

Write it down please.

Ki sa ou vlé?

[kee sah oo vlay]

What do you want? 

Konbyen sa ka kouté?

[konb-yehn sah kah koo-tay]

How much does it cost?

Antwé.

[ant-way]

Come in.

Pouki'w pa antwé?

[poo-keew pah ant-way]

Why don't you come in?

 Vini'w.
[vee-neew]
come here.

 Atann yon ti moman
[ah-tann yohn tee moh-mahn]
Wait a moment. 

Poutji sa?
[poochee sah]
Why [stressed]

Pouki / Poutji?
[poo-kee / poochee]
Why?

Kilè / Kitan?
[kee-leh  / kee-tahn]
When?

Kouman / Ki mannyè?
[koo-mahn / kee mann-yeh]
How?

Ki moun?
[kee-moon]
Who?

Ki sa / Sa?
[kee-sah /sah]
What?

Ki koté? / Koté? / Éti?
[kee koh-tay / koh-tay /ai-tee]
Where?

Ki koté li yé?
[kee koh-tay lee yea]
Where is he / she?

Isi-a / Isit-la.
[ee-see ah  / ee-seet lah]
Here.

La.
[lah]
There.

Konbyen tan?
[kohn-byehn tahn]
How long? [how much time?]

Adan / Adidan
[ah-dahn / ah-dee-dahn]
In.

Vid.
[veed]
Empty.

Plenn
[plehnn]
Full.

Anwo
[ahn-woh]
Up.

Anba
[ahn-bah]
Down.

Douvan.
[doo-vahn]
In front of.

Dèyè.
[deh-yeh]
Behind.

Agoch.
[ah-gosh]
To the left.

Adwat.
[ah-dwaht]
To the right. 

Plizyè.
[pleez-yeh]
Several.

Pé.
[pay]
Few.

Pa djè
[pah djeh]
Not many.

Bon.
[bohn]
Good.

Plis.
[plees]
More.

Mwens.
[mwehs]
Less.

An Titak / tizinng.
[ahn tee-tack / tee-zing]
 A little.

Pli bon.
[plee bohn]
Better.

Myè 
[myeh]
Best.

Mal / Mové.
[mal / moh-vay]

Bad.

Pli mal.
[plee mal]
Worse.

Talè / byentò.
[tah-leh / byehn-tuh]
Soon.

Pli ta.
[plee tah]
Later.

Ositò /kon sa.
[oh-see-tuh / kohn sah]

As soon as.

Omwens.
[oh-mwehs]
At least.

I ta.
[ee tah]
It's late.

I twò ta.
[ee twuh tah]
It's too late.

I bonnè.
[ee bohn-neh]
It's early.

I twò bonnè.
[ee twuh bohn-neh]
It's too early.

Mwen kontan.
[mweh kohn-tahn]
I'm happy.

Mwen kontan kontan.
[mweh kohn-tan kohn-tahn]
I'm really happy.

Mwen twis.
[mweh twees]
I'm sad.

Mwen dézolé.
[mweh day-zoh-lay]
I'm sorry.

Padonné mwen souplé.
[pah-dohn-nay mweh soop-lay]
Please forgive me.

Pwochen fwa.
[pwoh-shen fwah]
Until next time.

Adan dòt sòlèy.
[ah-dahn doht suh-leh-ee]
Until next time.

Word of the day - Mo pou jòdi-a

Word of the day - Mo pou jòdi-a

Pwensès:/pwehn-sehs/

Variant Pwansès /pwahn-sehs/

 Pwensès-la té sòti an glo-a.

(pwehn-sehs lah tay suh-tee ahn glow ah)

The princess came from the water.

Introduction to Kwéyòl sentences

A sentence (yon fwaz) is a group of words including at minimum a subject and a verb, and may also include any or all of the parts of speech.

Sentence Parts

Sentences can be separated into a subject (yon sijè), which may be stated or implied, and a predicate (yon pwédika). The subject is the person or thing performing the action, and the predicate is the rest of the sentence, which usually begins with the verb:

Mwen sé yon dòktè.
Je suis médecin.
I am a doctor. 

Subject: Mwen - I
Predicate: sé yon dòktè - am a doctor

Jean èk mwen enmen Lababad.
Jean et moi aimons la Barbade.
Jean and I love Barbados. 

Subject: Jean èk mwen - Jean and I
Predicate: enmen Lababad - love Barbados

Jenn tifi-a joli.
La jeune fille est mignonne.
The young girl is pretty.

Subject: Jenn tifi-a - the young girl
Predicate: joli - is pretty

Sentence Types

 There are four types of sentences: statements, exclamatives, interrogatives, and commands.

 1) Statement - Assertive Phrase

These statements are the most common type of sentence, they state something:

Mwen las.

Je suis fatigué(e).

I am tired.

Mwen kwè mwen enmen'w.

Je pense que j'taime.

I think I love you.

Mwen ké édé'w.

Je vous aiderai.

I will help you.

Mwen ni lèspwa, ou ké la.
J'espère que tu seras là.

I hope you'll be there.

There are two subcategories of statements: affirmative statements as above, and negative statements.

Mwen pa ka alé.

Je n'y vais pas.

I am not going.

Mwen pa las.
Je ne suis pas fatigué.

I am not tired.

  

Mwen pa vlé édé'w.

Je ne veux pas vous aider.

I do not want to help you. 

I pa ké la.
Il ne sera pas là.
He will not be there.

2) Exclamative Phrases

 Exclamatives express a strong reaction such as surprise or indignation. They look just like statements except for the exclamation point, and for this reason are sometimes considered a subcategory of statements, rather than a different type of sentence:

Mwen vlé alé!
Je veux y aller!
I want to go!


 Fout y bèl!
 Il est très beau!
He's really handsome! 


Sa sé an bon lidé!
C'est une bonne idée!
That's a great idea! 

 3) Interrogative

Interrogatives, more commonly known as questions, ask for or about something:


Ès ou ni liv-mwen?
As-tu mon livre ?
Do you have my book?


Ès yo pawé?
Sont-ils prêts?
Are they ready? 


 Ki koté i yé?
Où est-il?
Where is he?

 Ki koté Louv-la yé?
 Où se trouve le Louvre?
Where is the Louvre located? 


 4) Command

Commands are the only kind of sentence without an explicit subject; instead, the subject is implied by the tense markers used with the verb, which is in the imperative:


Fèmé lapòt-la!
Fermez la porte.
Close the door!


Pa palé!
Ne parle pas! 
Don't speak!


Annou manjé atjòlman!
Mangeons maintenant!
Let's eat now!

Dansé!
Danser!
Dance!